Creativity does not end when you retire, Taruma says

National
Allan Taruma and wife Getay Allan at their stall at the DuaDua family fair during the 46th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Lae, Morobe, last week. – Nationalpic by GLORIA BAUAI

By GLORIA BAUAI
ALLAN Taruma, 58, says creativity does not end when you retire
Taruma, from Henganofi in Eastern Highlands, designs, creates and sells pot plants and candle stands using old cloth, towels and concrete mix – a skill he acquired recently from the internet.
“It’s a pretty simple process where I submerge the cloth or towel into the wet cement mix and sit in a bucket to get its shape as it dries,” he explained.
Based in East Taraka, Lae, the father of six began creating and selling just this year, after retiring a year ago.
Taruma was a salesman with Zilu Scientific, a Lae-based chemical company. As age caught up, he changed jobs but remained with the company as a driver for four more years before calling it a day early last year.
With a grade 10 certificate from Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School in Eastern Highlands, his job experience included working as a provincial accounts examiner in Chimbu and a personal body guard with the Eastern Highlands government.
He had to help his wife, Getay Allan, sell blouses to earn a living.
“We must continue to keep our mind busy even after we retire,” Taruma said.
“Don’t wait to be fed if you are still physically capable.
“Do something for yourself.”